Official Luthiers Forum!

Okay, time for another order from StewMac in the course of doing my first. Has anyone got any suggestions for a basic set of tools for fretting and shaping the nut? What's absolutely necessary? What's a bit of an indulgence? A complete waste of time?

Any and all opinions are appreciated.

And again, thanks in advance.

Steve

There's another recent thread about what to buy from StewMac. You'll find everything you're looking for in there.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Thanks Bob, but I was actually looking for specific recommendation regarding what I needed to perform these particular processes. I probably explained myself badly, but I wasn't looking for the best/worst of StewMac. As a matter of fact, if anyone wants to throw in suggestions from LMI, I'd be happy to hear those as well

Thanks

Steve

My minimum kit would be:

Fretting:
Claw hammer (John Watkins sells an arbor press that's good, also)
Fret file (can start with a cheapie if need be, but the round-ended diamond file from StewMac is more than worth the price)
Japanese sharpening file (for the edges...has tiny teeth, and won't cut wood...got mine from Lee Valley)
Piece of machined flat metal or plate glass for levelling
Red or black marker

Nuts:
Razor saw to start slots in the right spot
Set of gauged fret files (there's a thread about the Hosco ones)
Finely marked ruler
Vernier or digital caliper (you can get a digital caliper for $20 at all kinds of regular stores)

So, actually, I guess the only tool I'd say is indispensable for these processes from StewMac is the diamond fret file.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

You see a lot of hand tools for making nuts and saddles in guitar supply catalogs, but I go a much easier route. For the nut, I use a Frank Ford-style flat pencil to get the approximate slot depth and do the shaping free-style on the belt sander. I much prefer to do a flat bottomed nut, but you can do Martin style too. The same with the saddle. With some time, you will be able to do 90% of the shaping (including compensation and height adjustments) with the sander. The rest is 600 grit wet/dry and micromesh...

For fretting: a decent fretting hammer from LMII or StewMac, a pair of flush cutting nips from Sears for $15 (and grind the face on your belt sander to get them a bit more flush), a couple marble floor tiles from the Home Depot epoxied together to get a nice solid base, a bastard file and sandpaper shooting board to get those babies flush and beveled. Of course, you'll need a nice sharp block plane beforehand to get the fingerboard to width, some nice brad point bits for the dots, and a radius block for leveling the board and frets. This never-ending!

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Don't confront me with my failures--I have not forgotten them.

I use 100, 200/600 grit sandpaper on a flat plywood surface for nuts and saddle sanding to shape, with a 90 degree piece of wood to keep the angle. The 100 grit takes it down 'pretty' fast, not as fast as a belt sander though, and a mask for the bone dust of course.

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

I use sandpaper on a flat surface to level. I like the Cant Saw file to crown. I find it easier to see my progress versus the rounded crown files. A very fine triangle file to remove the top line and edge clean up. Xfine steel wool buff. That's two tools from Stew Mac and/or maybe a trip to hardware store. Nut files: If you cut your basic profile close to finished dimension you will only need to file shallow slots. Either double or single gauge files will work. Buy what you can according to the range of string gauges you use.

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Tom Krebs

Hammering frets works fine and is an inexpensive way to go, but I press mine in. StewMac sells a fret press so you can take a look at it online. I already had an inexpensive arbor press so I just purchased the caul from StewMac. I drilled the bottom of the arbor press ram to fit the caul and drilled and tapped for a set screw to hold it in.
I can't recall where I got the arbor press, but it was probably Harbor Freight or Enco.

My very first time fretting I found it indispensable to have a fret pressing caul from Stewmac. You dont need an arbor to press frets if you have a drill press, which works just as well. Hammering frets takes some skill and patience, pressing frets is almost fool proof. As well, hammered frets can require alot more leveling and crowning, the last neck I pressed the frets with the leveling was minimal, if even needed. Unfortunately pressing all the frets on an acoustic guitar can require other very expensive tools if you fret with the neck on. However you can press them all before your fingerboard is glued on. I have not done this but I hear it works fine.